Golf Club Head and Method for Making the Same

ABSTRACT

A golf club head and method for making the same, which is characterized in that: a surface of the golf club head comprises a base layer made of non-ferrous metal of aluminum, or magnesium, or titanium, or an alloy base layer of those three metals and a protection layer after the surface of the golf club head is processed, and the thickness of the protection layer is 10-100 μm. The protection layer is a ceramic layer formed by plasma micro-arc oxidation and has the properties of abrasion-resistant and corrosion-resistant. The technique is simple, and the production cycle is short, Thereby, the production efficiency is improved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a golf club head made of the alloy of the non-ferrous metal (aluminum, magnesium, and titanium) which is superior in abrasion-resistance and corrosion-resistance, and the method for making such a golf club head.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The surface of a conventional golf club head, especially the non-ferrous metal surface, generally comprises a metal base layer and a protection layer made by ordinary anodic oxidation and PVD processing. In general, the thickness of the aluminum alloy surface of the golf club head after being processed by the ordinary anodic oxidation is within 30 μm, and the thickness of the titanium alloy surface is even thinner, which is hardly over 2-3 μm. Thereby, the properties of abrasion-resistance and corrosion-resistance of the conventional golf club head are restricted. In addition, the anodic oxidation process is complicated, and the manufacturing period is long, such that the application of non-ferrous metals in the industry of the golf club head manufacturing is greatly restricted.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a golf club head whose surface is abrasion-resistant and corrosion-resistant.

The further objective of the present invention is to provide a method for making such a golf club head, which is abrasion-resistant and corrosion-resistant. And the manufacturing process is simple and the production efficiency is improved.

A golf club head includes a metal base layer, which is characterized in that: the surface of the metal base layer is covered with a ceramic protection layer.

The method for making such a golf club head includes the following steps: firstly, making a golf club head; secondly, burnishing the golf club head and then degreasing and cleaning it; thirdly, forming a ceramic protection layer by plasma micro-arc oxidation of the golf club head.

The method of making the golf club head of the first step includes precision molding or forging.

In the second step, the manufactured golf club head is firstly degreased by weak alkaline, and then cleaned and dried to ensure the surface of the golf club head is very clean before the micro-arc oxidation.

In the third step, the thickness of the ceramic protection layer, which is formed after the surface of the golf club head is processed with plasma micro-arc oxidation, is 10-100 μm.

Further more, in the third step, the power source used in the micro-arc oxidation technique is provided with a constant voltage and current controlling device to control the output voltage ranging between 0 and 600V and the capacity of the output current ranging between 0 and 12 A/dm2; and the micro-arc oxidation lasts 10˜60 minutes. The longer the micro-arc oxidation lasts, the tighter the film will be. The output waveform can be direct current, square-shaped wave or sawtooth-shaped wave according to the technique conditions.

The electrolyzed solution used in the micro-arc oxidation of the second step is K₂O.nSiO₂ and Na₃P₂O₇, and the temperature is controlled between 10 and 45° C.

By using the technique of plasma micro-arc oxidation, the aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy surface of the golf club head of the present invention can be formed with a hard ceramic film without being polished again, and the optimal roughness of the surface can reach Ra0.8 μm without loose layers and the surface appears a smooth face. The tightness and the bond strength of the ceramic layer are greater than that formed by ordinary anodic oxidation, and the properties of abrasion-resistant and corrosion-resistant are also better, thereby, the hardness of the surface is largely improved. The microscopical hardness of such a ceramic layer is 1000-2000 HV. The ceramic layer can stand out for 1500 hours in corrosive gas. And the bonding strength is ≧1.04 MPa. Further, compared with the ordinary anodic oxidation process, the plasma micro-arc oxidation process is much more simple, and the processing time is also shorter, which can make for higher production efficiency and more application of the non-ferrous metal alloy in the industry of golf club head.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of an aluminum alloy golf club head in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line C-C;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the point A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view in accordance with the present invention of showing an aluminum alloy golf club head whose hitting panel is inlayed with a magnesium alloy board;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 4 taken along the line E-E; and

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view of the point B of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A golf club head includes a metal base layer, a surface of the metal base layer is covered with a ceramic protection layer formed after the metal base layer is treated by plasma micro-arc oxidation, and the thickness of the protection layer is 10-100 μm. The metal base layer can be an aluminum base layer, a magnesium base layer, a titanium base layer, an aluminum alloy base layer, a magnesium alloy base layer, or a titanium alloy base layer.

Referring to FIG. 3, the outer surface of the golf club head in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises an aluminum alloy base layer 2 and a protection layer 1, the protection layer 1 is a ceramic layer formed after the aluminum alloy base layer 2 is processed with plasma micro-arc oxidation, and the thickness of the protection layer 1 is 10-100 μm. The manufacturing steps are described as follows:

Firstly, making a golf club head by precision molding or forging;

Secondly, degreasing the golf club head by weak alkaline, then cleaning and drying it;

Thirdly, micro-arc oxidation: oxidizing the cleaned golf club head in K₂O.nSiO₂ of 180˜250 g/L by the anodic current of 1A/dm2 for 2˜8 minutes; cleaning the golf club head and then oxidizing it in Na₃P₂O₇ of 50˜90 g/L by the anodic current of 1 A/dm2 for 12˜18 minutes; the cathode material is stainless steel board; and the temperature of the aqueous solution is 20˜60° C.

The power source of the micro-arc oxidation technique is provided with a constant voltage and current controlling device, and the range of the output voltage is about 0˜600V. The capacity of the output current ranges between 0 and 12 A/dm2 according to the surface area of the workpiece to be processed. The micro-arc oxidation lasts about 10˜60 minutes, and the manufacturing efficiency is about 2 m²/100 KW.

The protection layer formed by this technique is much thicker than that formed by ordinary anodic oxidation, and its microscopical hardness reaches up to HV1500-2500, which is also greater than the hardness of the anodic oxidation layer (HV300-500). Such a protection layer can be bonded to the base layer firmly, and the bond strength is greater than 1.04 Mpa. The protection layer can prevent the golf club head from abrasion and corrosion, thus prolonging the life of the aluminum alloy golf club head. In addition, the manufacturing process of the plasma micro-arc oxidation is more simple, and the processing time, which is restricted to 10˜60 minutes, is shorter than that of the anodic oxidation. The longer the micro-arc oxidation lasts, the tighter the film will be. The power consumption of the plasma micro-arc oxidation is 0.05˜0.1 KWh/μm·dm²; the life of the solution is 4˜20 m²/m³; the growing rate of the oxidized film is 50˜150 μm/h, and the manufacturing efficiency is about 2 m²/100 KW. Thereby, the present invention can not only improve the production efficiency, but also reduce the cost.

A hitting face of a golf club head in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4. A magnesium alloy board, which comprises a magnesium alloy base layer 3 and a protection layer 4, is inlayed in an intermediate portion of the hitting face. The protection layer 4 is a ceramic layer formed after the magnesium alloy base layer 3 is treated by plasma micro-arc oxidation. The thickness of the protection layer 4 is 10-100 μm, and the detailed manufacturing steps of the second embodiment are the same as that of the first embodiment. Since the density of the magnesium alloy is smaller than that of the aluminum alloy, the weight of the intermediate portion of the hitting face can be reduced. The reduced weight can be distributed to both sides of the hitting add space the bottom of the golf club head by other ways, so as that the barycenter is low and the hitting stability is improved. Further, the function of shock absorption of the magnesium alloy is also better than that of the aluminum alloy, thereby, vibration to the player's hands is reduced.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A golf club head comprising a metal base layer, characterized in that: a surface of the metal base layer is covered with a ceramic protection layer.
 2. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that: the ceramic protection layer is formed after the metal base layer is processed with plasma micro-arc oxidation.
 3. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that: the thickness of the ceramic protection layer is 10-100 μm.
 4. The golf club head as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that: the metal base layer is an aluminum metal base layer, a magnesium metal base layer, a titanium metal base layer, or an alloy base layer of these three metals.
 5. A method for making such a golf club head comprises the following steps: firstly, making a golf club head; secondly, burnishing the golf club head and then degreasing and cleaning it; thirdly, forming a ceramic protection layer by plasma micro-arc oxidation of the golf club head.
 6. The method for making such a golf club head as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: the method of making the golf club head in the first step includes precision molding and forging.
 7. The method for making such a golf club head as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: in the second step, the manufactured golf club head is degreased by weak alkaline, and then cleaned and dried.
 8. The method for making such a golf club head as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: a power source of the micro-arc oxidation technique of the third step is provided with a constant voltage and current controlling device; the range of the output voltage is 0˜600V; the capacity of the output current is 0˜12 A/dm2; and the time of micro-arc oxidation is 10˜60 minutes.
 9. The method for making such a golf club head as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: an electrolyzed solution used in the micro-arc oxidation of the third step is K₂O.nSiO₂ and Na₃P₂O₇, and the temperature is 10˜45° C.
 10. The method for making such a golf club head as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that: the thickness of the ceramic protection layer formed after the surface of the golf club head is processed with plasma micro-arc oxidation of the third step is 10-100 μm. 